Irrational rationing

A friend of mine and I talk a lot about the greatest generation because both of us have members of it that have played large roles in our lives. We talk about “typical” things they do: their obsession with turning out the lights and turning down the heat, or being able to afford to eat better but not doing it because they want to save money, etc. The kind of deprivation and hardship they faced early on in their lives has permanently influenced them.

We can’t ever really understand what people who lived through the Depression and World War II went through. My grandma would tell me stories about the men who would try to find temporary work on the railroads, and how my great-grandmother would make them sandwiches because they didn’t have anything else to eat. There were many times when there wasn’t a lot of food. Then, when most of them were in their teens, the war came. Somewhere our family has a WWII ration book from the time when rationing was introduced to continue the war effort. Think about it: civilian rationing. In an age of globalization and ever-expanding markets, the mere idea of rationing materials seems strange. And with obesity rates skyrocketing in the US, I don’t think most Americans are experiencing what it’s like to go to bed hungry.

Which brings me to my point: it’s almost a common thing to see PCVs rationing their food. Or rather, their “American” food. Most of us don’t receive many regular packages, so the things we get, we save. Why? I don’t know really. I’ve been hoarding confectioner’s and brown sugar since I came here. I’ve barely baked as a result. I was afraid to use a lot of cumin and ginger because I wasn’t sure where I would find it again. This saving mentality becomes easier to understand when put in a situation where items are not readily available. Of course we aren’t starving or undergoing our own personal Great Depressions, but the lack of stable supply encourages us to hold onto our food items instead of using them. It’s starting to get ridiculous now: I have 6 months left and two pounds of confectioner’s sugar that I’ve carefully gathered throughout my time here. I’m going to take it to a level that many Greatest Generation members wouldn’t: I’m actually going to use it. All.